ANNAPOLIS, Md. — A judge in Anne Arundel County Wednesday refused to throw out attempted murder charges against a Maryland man accused of running down three pedestrians and repeatedly ramming an SUV with two women inside.
District Court Judge Danielle Mosely found probable cause to send the case against Adam Wolford, 33, of Severn, Maryland, on to circuit court.
Victims and their family members crowded the courtroom demanding justice.
Witnesses say Wolford was furious that a woman had brushed aside his sexual advances. That he climbed into his Jeep Cherokee screaming obscenities, crashed into three pedestrians, and then repeatedly rammed the SUV where the woman was hiding, trying to get away from him.
A video shot by bystanders captured him seemingly incoherent, talking to a group of people just before the incident, witnesses say.
"This was beyond drunk driving, because he was using his car as a weapon," said Vanessa Murphy Kehely, the mother of victim Zachary Kehely, outside the courthouse after the hearing.
"I think he purposely wanted to kill the girls in that car. And he didn't really care who was in front of him," said Dina Jackson, mother of victim Zachary Jackson.
Zachary Krehely had never even met Wolford.
"My jaw was broken in four different places. It was also broken up here," he said, pointing at his eye socket, "and my cheekbone as well. I lost four teeth," Krehely said, describing his injuries.
Hannah Graham Blair is an Army nurse who rushed in to try and help victims, and then got hit herself. "I have a broken bone in my leg. Part of my shoulder blade is broken, and I have a rare shearing injury to my left leg," she said.
The victims and family members weren't able to speak during the hearing, but gathered for a quiet prayer outside afterwards.
Wolford's lawyer, Michael McGraw, urged the judge to throw out attempted murder charges because, he said, the father of three never intended to kill any of the pedestrians.
Judge Mosley rejected that, finding probable cause for all 26 counts against him.
Zachary Jackson, a Capitol Hill intern from Silver Spring, spent a month in the hospital. "My son had to reach for the hood of the car while he was dragged under the car," his mother said.
"I'm lucky I'm still able to walk and I'm still breathing," said Zachary Krehely.
If convicted of all charges, Adam Wolford faces the possibility of more than 200 years in prison. No date has been set yet for Wolford's first hearing in circuit court. He has yet to enter a plea.